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Is America in revival? Well, not quite, according to Barna CEO David Kinnaman, who joins Carey to discuss 2026 church trends.

New data shows overall American Christianity is still in decline AND that Gen Z men are dialing into Jesus, young adults are the most churched group in America, and that we're setting ourselves up for a succession crisis. 

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What if mind renewal wasn’t abstract advice but a concrete, daily rhythm that rewires your creative life? We dig into Romans 12:2 and show how a Spirit-led process can transform the inner story you believe, so your art flows from peace instead of pressure and from calling instead of comparison. This isn’t motivational fluff. It’s a practical blueprint for partnering with the Holy Spirit to change how you think, decide, and create.

We walk through the Five R’s—Recognize, Repent, Replace, Reinforce, Rejoice—and explain why each step matters for artists who face resistance, self-doubt, and perfectionism. You’ll learn how to catch limiting thoughts, align your agreements with Scripture, and install a new “operating system” using passages like Ephesians 2:10 and 2 Corinthians 3:5. As you repeat truth and practice daily gratitude, you signal safety to your nervous system, which quiets fear and opens space for curiosity and creative flow. We connect this spiritual rhythm to brain science: when the amygdala calms, risk becomes possible and imagination wakes up.

By the end, you’ll have a simple daily assignment to begin renewing your mind and reshaping your creative process. Expect practical outcomes: pricing work without panic, sharing without chasing approval, and meeting resistance as a growth cue. Same hands, same skill, new inner narrative—leading to bolder choices and richer art rooted in identity, not insecurity.

If this sparked something in you, subscribe for more teaching on faith, creativity, and mindset. Share this with an artist who needs a hopeful reset, and leave a review to tell us which of the Five R’s you’ll practice first.

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First things first” sounds simple—but Dr. Tony Evans explains why so many people ignore that advice and what it costs us spiritually when God’s priorities are pushed aside.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: James 1:12-15

We live in a world of victims; nobody wants to take the blame for anything. And when we run out of other people to blame for our sins, we can be tempted to blame God. But God’s Word heeds warning to those who would dare blame Him for their temptation to sin.

James 1:13-15 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted of God’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

It is impossible to tempt God with evil; He cannot be tempted and He cannot tempt us with evil. Adrian Rogers says, “God gives us tests to make us stand. Satan gives us temptations to make us stumble.” Sin is an inside job; it begins from within. How does the devil provoke our flawed appetites and fatal attractions?

First, there is a courtship that leads to a consent.

Satan has laid plans to sabotage us, but he cannot do it without our consent. He begins with a courtship: temptation comes our way to entice, entrap, ensnare, and allure. He flirts, baits, and draws us away.

Second, the consent leads to conception.

Adrian Rogers explains, “There comes an unholy union that brings an unholy child. There is a fatal attraction: the father. There is a flawed appetite: the mother. When these two come together, there is a conception of an unholy child of sin.”

Third, conception leads to a consummation.

The final result of sin is always death. We can play the blame game all day long, but we will ultimately lose.

Adrian Rogers says, “First, sin fascinates; then it assassinates. First, it thrills; then it kills.”

As long as we live, there will be temptation. The only thing we can possibly do is to have an inward change, beginning in our own hearts. James 1:18 says, “Of His own will He begets us with His word.” That is, when our hearts are changed, we are born again.

Apply it to your life

Are you being tempted to sin? Don’t blame God or circumstances. Ask God for a change of heart, and for the strength to refrain from sinning.

What evidence do you have for what you believe? In Isaiah 41:21-29, God issues a bold challenge: idols and the Almighty will both "set forth their case." Dr. John Neufeld explores this courtroom scene where God demonstrates His reality through detailed prophecy—including naming Cyrus 200 years before his birth—while idols remain silent and powerless. We become like what we worship, making this choice eternally significant.

God and the World's Idols: What are you really worshipping? In this series through Isaiah 40–44, Dr. John Neufeld explores one of Scripture's most powerful confrontations between the living God and the idols humanity creates. Writing to a nation facing exile and questioning whether their God has abandoned them, Isaiah paints a stunning portrait of who God truly is — His wisdom that needs no counsel, His power that never grows weary, His sovereignty over history itself.

Join us on today's Bible Minute from Back to the Bible Canada.

Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "Legacy of a Packrat." Enjoy!

Intimacy is rooted in honesty. Acknowledging wrongdoing is the first step towards recovering intimacy because you’ve been honest. Is there someone you need to make things right with?